Florida House Bill 503, which was sent to the Governor’s desk for a signature earlier in the year, contains many new legislative guidelines experts believe should ease permitting restrictions and make it easier for builders to start construction. Supporters of the bill contend environmental concerns were preserved in the rewriting of the code and many of the state’s environmentalists agree. The new rules will impact no less than 22 current building statutes in the Sunshine State, the majority of which involve the permitting process for various elements of the construction process. For more on this continue reading the following article from JDSupra.
Last year’s major deregulation of Florida state oversight of land development continued this year with a number of additional laws being passed in the Spring and Summer of 2012 (see our earlier post for details) as well as HB 503, which is now law in the State of Florida.
HB503 changes the way that builders and developers get permits from the State. With HB 503, it will take less time for business endeavors to get through the process of getting regulatory okays — and no, the environment isn’t tossed aside as this new legislation changes the permitting procedures.
Both business representatives and environmental activists worked with members of the Florida Legislature to form the final version of HB503 which was sent to Governor Rick Scott’s desk for signature earlier this year. With the revamped permit process, costs in time and money are lessened for builders, developers, and the like — which helps them do business, and that helps Florida’s economy to rebuild itself.
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HB503
For a complete review of HB503, please see our earlier post which provides a complete bill summary.
This new law does the following:
- creates, amends, & revises numerous provisions relating to: development, construction, operating, & building permits;
- permit application requirements & procedures, including waivers, variances, & revocation;
- local government comprehensive plans & plan amendments;
- programmatic general permits & regional general permits;
- permits for projects relating to stormwater management systems, coastal construction, dredge & fill activities,
- intermodal logistics centers & commercial & industrial development;
- sanitary program surveys of certain water systems;
- innocent victim petroleum storage system restoration, ambient air quality & water quality standards, & solid waste disposal;
- sale of unblended gasoline for certain uses;
- exemption from payment to authorizing agencies for use of certain extensions;
- provides a 2-year permit extension.
Here are the Florida Statutes that are impacted by HB503:
- 125.022 – Development permits.
- 161.041 – Permits required.
- 166.033 – Development permits.
- 218.075 – Reduction or waiver of permit processing fees.
- 373.026 – General powers and duties of the department.
- 373.326 – Exemptions.
- 373.4141 – Permits; processing.
- 373.4144 – Federal environmental permitting.
- 376.3071 – Inland Protection Trust Fund; creation; purposes; funding.
- 376.30715 – Innocent victim petroleum storage system restoration.
- 380.0657 – Expedited permitting process for economic development projects.
- 403.061 – Department; powers and duties.
- 403.087 – Permits; general issuance; denial; revocation; prohibition; penalty.
- 403.1838 – Small Community Sewer Construction Assistance Act.
- 403.7045 – Application of act and integration with other acts.
- 403.706 – Local government solid waste responsibilities.
- 403.707 – Permits.
- 403.7125 – Financial assurance.
- 403.814 – General permits; delegation.
- 403.853 – Drinking water standards.
- 403.973 – Expedited permitting; amendments to comprehensive plans.
- 526.203 – Renewable fuel standard.
This article was republished with permission from JDSupra.
